In Robin Wood's "Nine of Pentacles," once again I see someone who looks like she is somehow related to the King and Queen depicted in the Pentacle's court cards, tho' possibly further down in the royal ranking or even simply a friend of the royal family. To me, this woman seems contemplative, generally peaceful, and surely wanting for nothing, at least not materially. Her garden appears lush and I can imagine her home to be the same. She does not evoke a feeling of frivolity and in some ways, she's not particularly joy-filled (at least to me.) It seems like a whole lot of deep thinking is going on in her pretty head.

Come to think of it, the woman's slight smile, if a smile is even what the reader sees, is very Mona Lisa-ish. One could take it to mean many things depending on the reading.

Still, depending on where this card falls in a spread or who the querent is or what is asked in the reading, I OFTEN get the feeling that this woman is trapped in her own luxurious life. What usually triggers this thought is the ornate gate behind her...it usually seem so close to the garden plants (not forgetting that those beautiful roses have piercing thorns) that there's no way one could possibly use it to leave...not to mention that no one could open it to get into her yard from the outside world. She appears cut off...either by her own making or that of someone else or others. As I read Robin's description of the gate in her book, I wasn't surprised to find that this was one way she suggested one could indeed "read" the gate. Add to that, the fact that the hawk is wearing a hood, and especially if the hood seems very apparent in a particular reading, I then get the feeling of someone hiding behind a mask or not showing all her cards upon the table. Or even, pulling the wool over one's eyes...either someone else's or her own. Perhaps she knows that if folks knew how she really felt, then she would lose all she has gained materially...and so, she plays the part she has found herself in.

'course there are also times when I see the woman as perfectly happy and content, surrounded by roses and luscious grapes, feeling secure and at home in her surroundings. At that time she even seems in control...both of herself and perhaps others...as she literally keeps the wild nature of the hawk under her care.

Ah, the card of introversion. This is the opposite of the 9 of Cups, the consummate partier. The woman here enjoys and thrives on solitude and quiet. She has created this garden retreat for herself. It is a place of rest and contemplation. She is content. It's her place to get away from the pressures and trials of the outside world.

I don't see this woman as trapped, even as a prisoner in a cell of her choosing. This is a retreat, a safe place.

This card can be read as a caution about placing too high a value on material things, in a Martha Stewart kind of way.

I see this woman as a very independent person who has cultivated her own high tastes in order to become refined and live according to her own high standards. The roses she tends indicates the fruition of high thoughts, manifesting as beautiful results. She looks proud of them. The glove she wears on her right hand on which a wild falcon perches, made tame, indicates that she has tamed the wild thoughts of her mind. She wears a hair net, indicating that she dislikes disorder and likes things to be under her own control. Although this desire for things to be a certain way, her own way, causes her to put up a flashy barrier between herself and the world, to keep others and their meddling mess at bay, you can see that rather than a fence, behind her is a *gate* which she may choose to open to those who impress her enough. To be allowed into her domain would be a high privilege, and being able to uphold standards that allow others that privilege could be a great blessing to them.

I like this card. I think it can communicate a valuable message with various nuances in conjunction with the surrounding cards. Who hasn't felt in this mood sometimes? Think EMILY DICKINSON. lol. "The soul's select society" etc.

I see this woman as someone who has worked hard to be financially independent and self-sufficient. She is a refined woman and appreciates the finer things in life, more so because she has earned it. Her home is her haven and she enjoys her solitude to focus on her hobbies, like falconry. She is fiercely independent like the falcon and may have trouble trusting others and letting them into her life. The gate represents this barrier she always has up to protect herself and to keep out unwanted attention. After all, success can attract unsavoury characters and she feels the need to protect and enjoy what she has in peace.

I sometimes think of all the famous actors, entertainers, athletes and writers who have to keep out the paparazzi and crazies. Success brings much luxury and power but it has its own trappings.

The 9 of Pents has recently taken on the meaning of 'me time' for me. It shows up when I need time to myself, to regroup and care for myself before I return to the responsibilities of mom and wife. I see this garden as a retreat, with a gate to keep the stresses of daily life out. Time for ourselves can certainly be a luxury at certain stages of life and it is best to make the most of it and enjoy it while it lasts.

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